Results 15,981-16,000 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Senator, who referenced the digital divide. I acknowledge the sincerity with which she raised those points. Without doubt, there will always be issues on the ground about this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I apologise but the video appears to be switched on. The Senator spoke about the digital divide and I am very conscious of it. In the past year alone and throughout the pandemic, over €100 million in financial resources have been made available to schools specifically with regard to information, communication and digital technology, etc. This was to afford schools the opportunity to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Chairman. I appreciate the point he made on principals. There are issues around teaching principals, which I was very cognisant of as part of the school reopening plan. Additional days were made available to support the work of teaching principals in recognition of the particular difficulties they faced in managing many additional responsibilities due to Covid. On making an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: In respect of senior cycle reform, the NCCA has worked through it and has done a body of work which has almost been completed. It is currently finalising its report which will be submitted to me and officials in the Department. We will study it. I am conscious that it will most certainly provide a springboard for further discussion and an ultimate decision in terms of how we will progress...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On the High Court case issued today, the Department is currently reviewing it. It is a fairly lengthy decision and will take some time to review. The Chairman's second question related to the leaving certificate exam for 2021. I wish to acknowledge that, as I said previously, this year students have a choice. The accredited grades system and the opportunity to do written exams addresses...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: As I said, the guidelines and mitigation measures we have in place in schools were fully appraised and reviewed rigorously prior to the return to school, as happened when we first put them in place following public health advice. They were recently reviewed prior to the current return to school. The guidelines on ventilation issued in September, and updated in late November and early...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Chairman and the committee. I appreciate the enormous body of work, in particular, that has gone into the key recommendations of the joint committee's report on Covid-19. It is an excellent document. I look forward to continuing to engage with the committee. I appreciate the experience and the shared interest members all have in advancing education positively.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. A number of GLPs due to take place in 2020 were postponed due to public health restrictions. Also, due to the uncertainties of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. A number of GLPs due to take place in 2020 were postponed due to public health restrictions. Also, due to the uncertainties of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. A number of GLPs due to take place in 2020 were postponed due to public health restrictions. Also, due to the uncertainties of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. A number of GLPs due to take place in 2020 were postponed due to public health restrictions. Also, due to the uncertainties of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 allows a parent, or student where the student has reached the age of 18 years to appeal a decision of a Board of Management to permanently exclude a student from school. An independent appeals committee is appointed to hear each appeal and determine whether or not the sanction of expulsion is warranted. Where the committee deems that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has developed a plan with the relevant education stakeholders for the phased return to in-school learning for children in primary, post-primary and special schools. From the 1 March the first four classes at primary level – junior and senior infants, first and second class – and final year Leaving Certificate students will return to school. This phase will also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has an important role to play in supporting the well-being and mental health of our young people. My Department’s Well-being Policy and Framework for practice has given recognition to the importance of promoting well-being in education. It outlines a comprehensive, whole-school approach to the promotion of well-being and positive mental health. It focuses on the whole...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The position is that the Department does not issue any guidelines relating to homework being given in schools. It is a matter for each school, at local level to arrive at its own homework policy. In keeping with good practice, the process of drafting a homework policy, should involve consultation with teachers, parents and students Although schools are not obliged to have a published...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has developed a plan with the relevant education stakeholders for the phased return to in-school learning for children in primary, post-primary and special schools. From the 1 March the first four classes at primary level – junior and senior infants, first and second class – and final year Leaving Certificate students will return to school. This phase will also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: A list of all capital projects completed under the Large Scale and Additional Accommodation Scheme, in county order, from 2010 to date may be viewed my Department’s website at www.education.ie. County Roll No School Year Type Cork 76090G Bantry Community College - PPP Project 2011 Post Primary ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 113,100 children, including over 14,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020. The purpose of the School...